Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Milk Blood Heat by Dantiel W. Moniz

15 reviews

bookswithgeorgia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Infertility, Rape, Self harm, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship

sydapel's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A series of really compelling, if often violent and disturbing, short stories. The writing is acerbic and biting, but still conveys a deep sense of character and empathy, even with characters acting in anger or fear. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Suicide, Sexual content, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Racism and Death of parent

Minor: Misogyny and Abortion

annxmcd's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage and Suicide

Moderate: Child death, Cancer, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, and Death of parent

mackenziebrill's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Suicide, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Cancer

Minor: Sexual assault

rachelmink's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

So excellent on audio. Incredible stories - particularly the first one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Infidelity, and Cancer

woolgatherer's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

This was a fresh collection of short stories that hones in on the everyday lives of Black women (primarily) in Florida and, often, the way they are viewed by society. The protagonist of each story essentially have to reckon with a traumatic event that occurred at some point in their life (or is dealing with at the moment), and Moniz explores this unflinchingly though also with some grace. She dives into uncomfortable territory when it comes to the topics she covers: infidelity, sexual assault, pregnancy/miscarriage, among others. For the most part, I wouldn’t say that these stories are gruesome, but none of them are particularly easy to digest either as she peels away the layers of these women to reveal something deeply complex.

I found the title of this collection particularly interesting and, very cleverly, Moniz interprets at least one of those three words in some fashion within each story. I think “blood” jumped out at me the most, but that might be because this was more visceral than the others, especially in the final story (which was probably my favorite). Relatedly, Moniz is an excellent writer and really has a way with words to draw a reaction out of you. I think despite feeling lukewarm about some of these stories, I was taken to all of them because of her writing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

Minor: Cannibalism and Infidelity

jmcordero's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Cancer, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Grief

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Suicide, and Self harm

Minor: Blood, Infidelity, and Incest

annamorgan27's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage

Moderate: Cancer, Drug use, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, and Racism

booksandprosecco's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, and Rape

Moderate: Cancer, Grief, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

Minor: Abortion and Infidelity

hilaryreadsbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

 Moniz opens this stunning collection of short stories with two girls carrying the weight of the world. Kiera and Ava share a common heaviness, an emptiness, as they come into womanhood—a sense of knowing that they can and should be taking more space in this world. Kiera, Ava, and all of Moniz's other characters felt real, alive, pulsing—Moniz gives these characters the space and words they deserve. I felt the deep shame Fred felt in "The Loss of Heaven" as he finally began to come to terms with his failings; I felt the resentment Margot openly displayed for her mother's perceived weakness in "The Hearts of our Enemies"; I felt the descent into depression as Rayna tries to cope with her miscarriage in "Feast."

Moniz's writing is vibrant and poetic, precise with detail and imagery. Her characters are complex, imperfect, and so, so human. In just a couple of pages, each of her stories pulled me in, made me really...feel as I grappled with feelings of unease: many of these characters' insecurities were ones I related to. 

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CP0kVORLUcL/

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

Moderate: Cancer, Miscarriage, and Sexual assault